Hi there guys,

For stillwater fishing, does the fly size really matter? Maybe it's OK if the fish are keyed in on specific thing, but in general if on the day damsels are coming off and they are say a size 12#, will it make much different how big of a damsel i'm using.


cheers

We again come to a crux in angling''doe's size matter'' of course it doe's. more often or not ,The fish will take what is as close to the size of the prey species as is possible.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

I'd agree entirely with Jim.

Size and 'outline' is far more to critical to success than any other factor - except perhaps being able to put it in the right place!

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Agree with the guys above. Absolutely yes fly size does matter, first for imitating or suggesting the trouts' food. And second I'm sure many of us have experienced taps, bump takes and lost fish on a certain size fly and dropped down one or two hook sizes to convert those bumps into solid takes and lost fish into trout in the landing net.

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"In wine there is wisdom. In beer there is strength. In water there is bacteria." - German proverb
JH based near Southampton

I would hesitate to disagree with 3Lb. and Lighthouse, they know their stuff but......

Fishing rivers, I am in complete agreement but when it comes to stocked still waters I am convinced the fish aren't in there long enough to know what real food is and what matters is the depth at which they are swimming and you are fishing.

If you show a Stockie something smaller than him and it's moving he'll eat it.

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Roy

If it were that simple it would be too easy and no one would ever blank! Some of these stockies are a lot more 'streetwise' than their wild cousins and have been fished at intensively with all manner of flies for many months. It's one of those questions where there's no 'right answer'. To cut a long story short, if it ain't working, change something, size, colour, pattern, retrieve, depth, position...

SharkeyP

Sorry Roy, I must disagree. My fishing is most certainly not that easy. Maybe some places are, but not where I fish. I find them to be damned hard. Wouldn't really change that though. (OK, maybe on some days )

Well, I seem to be in a minority of one at the moment but I think when changing your fly all you are doing is changing the depth at which you are fishing.

It would be foolhardy and untrue to say I have never blanked but what I do know is that if people round me are catching..so am I. If I blank, I think it's because I'm fishing in the wrong place or at the wrong depth.

I seldom strip lures..not because I dissapprove but I find it too much like hard work; equally I never bother to match the hatch on still waters and can't remember the last time I used anything but a floating line. I just fiddle about with leader length and weight of fly.

FFs comment may well add another dimension to this..the Midlands Still Waters where I mainly have to fish are heavily fished and heavily stocked.

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Roy

Yes, size does matter- in both directions.If trout aren't taking your fly properly, or coming short to your dries, go down a size or two.You'd be amazed at some of the takes you get to a #16 when they are tapping at 12's.Conversely it is often better to fish a pattern larger than the naturals, especially during the first heavy buzzer hatches.A #8 buzzer may look like a joke but it will certainly stand out in the crowd! If there are millions of size 12 buzzers in the water you need a least a 10 to attract the fishes attention.Later on in the season it probably helps to match the hatch, in size though.

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Behold the fisherman
He riseth up early and disturbeth the whole household.
MIGHTY ARE HIS PREPARATIONS!
He goeth forth full of hope and when the day is far spent he returneth
Smelling of strong drink, and the truth is not in him

A tongue in cheek article I found some years ago in the British Medical Journal.

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/317/7174/1678

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